Spoke-socket.



Patentad Dec. 2, I902. W. B. ROBERTS.

SPOKE SOCKET.

(Application filed Apr. 25, 1902 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

lljaegimz' No. 7|4,95|. Patented Dec. 2, I902.

' w. a. ROBERTS.

SPOKE SOCKET.

(Application filed Apr. 25, 1902.]

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

/ 6 j- I he M I K 3 I I 55; 2 if 22 if Z? 5/ 33 Z4 25 Z Z7 I I hfezys Urrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. ROBERTS, on WASHINGTON, DISTRICT on COLUMBIA.

SPOKE-SOCKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0; 714,951, datedDecember 2, 1902.

Serial No. 104,699. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM B. ROBERTS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a newand useful Spoke-Socket, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in spoke-sockets.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofwheels, more especially the means for connecting the outer ends of thespokes to the felly,and to provide a tion, partly in section, of aportion of awheel constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2is a sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional View of a portionof a wheel, illustrating another form of the spokeand-felly connection.Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the same, taken longitudinally of thespoke. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 8. Fig.6 isa similar view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a sectional viewillustrating a slight modification of the form of spoke-socketillustrated in Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a detail view of one of the bracketsfor supporting the sleeve of the spoke-socket from the shoulder at theouter end of the spoke. Fig. 9 is adetail sectional view illustratinganother form of bracket for supporting a sleeve or band. Fig. 10 is asimilar view illustrating another construction of band or sleeve.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

1 designates an inner spoke-socket having a tapering body portion 2 andprovided with an outer portion 3, adapted to fit in the inner end ofatubular spoke 4, which is welded or brazed to the spoke-socket. Theinner spoke-socket, which has a tenon 5 at its inner end, is provided atopposite sides with flanges or ears 6, designed to be arranged inrecesses of a hub 7 and to be engaged by bands 8, shrunk or otherwisemounted on and secured to the hub, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of thedrawings. The tenons 5 are received in suitable recesses or mortises ofthe hub, and the bands 8 are preferably flanged at their inner edges at9 to fit against the tapering portions 2 of the sockets. These taperedportions fit together and form a continuous brace extending entirelyaround the hub of the wheel; but instead of employing sockets, as shownin Figs. 1 and 2, any other suitable form of socket may be provided forthe inner end of the tubular spoke. The outer end of the tubular spokeis connected with the rim of the wheel by means of an outer spokesocketelement 10, consisting of an inwardlyextending spoke-supporting portion11, an outwardly-extending tenon 12, and arms 13, extending in oppositedirections from the spoke-socket element and arranged on the outer faceof the folly 14: and provided with outturned side edges forming narrowflanges 15, which embrace the side faces of the folly adjacent to theinner face thereof. These narrow side flanges protect the inner face ofthe felly and prevent the same from being chipped or otherwise injuredat that point, and they also stiffen and strengthen the arms. The armsextend slightly beyond the center of the space between two spokes andare provided at their ends with overlapping perforated portions or cars16, through which pass tire-bolts 17, extending through the said ends,the folly-section, and the tire 18. The outer ends of the arms areengaged by nuts of the bolts 17, which have their heads countersunk inthe tire, and the telly is supported at this pointby ears or flanges 19,arranged in pairs and preferably formed integral with one of the bearranged in any other suitable manner.

The spoke-supporting portion 11, which extends inward from the rim ofthe wheel, is received within the outer end of the tubular spoke, whichis brazed, welded, or otherwise secured to the same, and the tenon 12 isarranged within a suitable mortise or opening overlapped ends of thearms; but they may of the felly, which is supported at this point bymeans of side flanges or cars 20, formed integral with the socketelement and embracing the felly, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

In Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive, of the accompanying drawings is illustratedanother form of spoke-socket,in which the arms for supporting the fellyare formed by aseparate plate 21, provided with narrow side flanges 22and having central and end ears or flanges 23 and 24 for supporting thefolly at the points where the same is perforated for the reception ofthe tire-bolts 25 and the tenon 26 of the spoke 27. The ends of theplate are perforated to receive the tire-bolts, and they overlap similarto the ends of the arms heretofore described. The plate, which forms apair of arms, is provided with a central opening 28 to receive a reducedend of a sleeve 29, which fits around the outer end of the spoke andforms a socket for the same and which fits into the opening 28. Thereduced end forms an annular groove or seat 30 for the reception of theplate 21, which is engaged by the shoulder of the seat, and the sleeve29 is supported from the shoulder of the outer end of the spoke by meansof a bracket 31. The bracket 31 consists of a straight body portion andoppositely-disposed arms 32 and 33, the body portion being arrangedwithin the sleeve between the same and the spoke. The spoke 27 isconstructed of wood and is reduced at its outer end in the usual mannerto form the tenon 26, the shoulder formed by the reduction being engagedby the arm 32, which is longer than the arm 33, and the latter engagesthe inner edge of the sleeve. The brackets 31 are designed to be locatedat opposite sides of the sleeve, and they connect the latter with thespoke without perforating the same. The brackets 31 may be constructedof any suitable material, and when the parts are assembled they arefirmly interlocked and a construction of great strength and durabilityis provided.

Instead of extending the plate which forms the arms to the center of thespace between the spokes a short plate 34 may be employed, asillustrated in Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings. This plate isprovided with an opening 35, similar to the opening 28 of the plate 21,and it is interlocked with a sleeve and is connected with the spoke bybrackets constructed as before described. The plate 34 is provided atopposite sides of the opening 35 with flanges or ears for embracing thesides of the felly and for supporting the latter at the point where thesame is perforated for the reception of the tenon of the spoke. Ifdesired, the arms of the socket element (illustrated in Fig. 1 of thedrawings) may be shortened, as shown in Fig. 7, instead of extendingthem to the center of the spaces between the spokes and connecting themto form a continuous support or brace for the felly.

In Fig. 9 of the drawings is illustrated another form of bracket forsupporting the sleeve or band, and this bracket 36 consists of two sideportions and a connecting transverse portion 37, having an opening forthe tenon of the spoke and interposed between the shoulder of the spokeand the felly. The sides of the bracket 36 are provided withoutwardly-extending arms 38 for engaging the band or sleeve, which isformed integral with the plate. The double bracket operates to hold theplate and the integral sleeve or band to the felly, and it obviates thenecessity of otherwise securing the plate to the Wheel. The sleeve orband 39 (shown in Fig. 10) is supported by means of an annular flange40, arranged at the inner face of the plate 41. The sleeve or band ispassed through the opening of the plate 41, and the flange 40 isinterposed between the plate and the felly, whereby the sleeve or bandis securely inter locked with the plate.

Instead of forming the tenon 12 integral with the spoke-supportingportion 11 it may be made of a separate piece, as indicated in dottedlines in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and be welded or brazed to the same.

What I claim is 1. In a device of the class described, the combinationwith a felly, of a spoke-socket element provided with aninwardly-extending spoke-supporting portion arranged to receive theouter end of a spoke, and arms extending in opposite directions from thespokesupporting portion to the center of the spaces between the spokes,whereby the arms are adapted to be overlapped and secured to the felly,substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a felly,andspokes,of spokesocket elements provided with inwardly-extendingspoke-supporting portions receiving the outer ends of the spokes, armsextending in opposite directions from the spokesupporting portions tothe center of the spaces between the spokes and having overlappedperforated portions, and fastening devices passing through theperforations of the overlapped ends of the arms and securing the same tothe felly, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a felly,andspokes,of spokesocket elements having inwardly-extendingspoke-supporting portions receiving the outer ends of the spokes, armsextending in opposite directions from the spoke supporting portions tothe center of the spaces between the spokes and having overlappedperforated portions, fastening devices passing through the perforationsof the overlapped ends of the arms and securing the same to the folly,and the outer side ears or flanges carried by the outer ends of the armsand supporting the felly at the perforated portions thereof,substantially as described.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a felly, anda spoke having a tenon extending into the felly, of a spokesocketelement comprising a plate arranged at the inner face of the felly andextending in opposite directions from the spoke to form arms, and asleeve mounted on the spoke and detachably interlocked with the plate,and provided with means for holding it in engagement with the plate,said means being provided adjacent to the inner end of the tenon with aprojecting engaging portion arranged at right angles to the sleeve,substantially as described.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a felly, anda spoke having a tenon extending into the telly, of a spokesocketelement comprising a plate having a central opening and arranged at theinner face of the telly and forming arms, a sleeve mounted on the spoke,and fitted against the plate, and a bracket extending through the sleeveand engaging the same and the shoulder of the spoke, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a folly, anda spoke, of a spoke-socket element comprising a plate having an openingand forming opposite arms, a sleeve arranged on the spoke and fitted inthe opening of the plate and engaging the latter, and a bracketextending through the sleeve and provided with arms engaging the sameand the spoke, substantially as described.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with a felly, anda spoke, of a plate having an opening and provided with perforated ends,said plate being adapted to extend to the center of the spaces betweenthe spokes and provided with inner and outer side ears or flanges, and asleeve mounted on the spoke and engaging the plate at the openingthereof, substantially as described.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with a folly, anda spoke provided with a tenon and having a shoulder, of a plate havingan opening and forming arms, a sleeve fitted on the spoke and engagingthe plate at the opening thereof, and a bracket extending through thesleeve and provided with oppositely-disposed arms engaging the sleeveand the shoulder of the spoke, substantially as described.

9. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a felly, of a spoke-socket element provided with aninwardly-extending spoke supporting portion and having arms extendinglongitudinally of the folly and provided with end ears, saidspoke-socket element being also provided with centrallyarranged earslocated at opposite sides of the felly and embracing the same,substantially as described. I

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM B. ROBERTS.

\Vitnesses:

C. E. DOYLE, FRANK S. APPLEMAN.

